The US northeast has the potential to deploy up to 8GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, according to three reports released today by the states of Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.

The ‘Northeast Offshore Wind Regional Market Characterization’ report identifies the opportunities and challenges that will shape the offshore wind market. 

It estimates between 4GW and 8GW of offshore wind farms could be deployed by 2030.

A second report – ‘US Job Creation in Offshore Wind’ – projects up to 36,000 jobs created by the sector if 8GW of wind are deployed offshore.

A 4GW scenario would result in roughly half the number of jobs, it said.

The third report – ‘US Jones Act Compliant Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Study’ – examines the functional requirements and costs of constructing purpose-built vessels that would comply with the US Jones Act and meet the needs of the US offshore wind industry.

The reports were produced by representatives of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and the Clean Energy States Alliance as part of the Roadmap Project for Multi-State Cooperation on Offshore Wind Development.

NYSERDA president and chief executive Alicia Barton said: “Offshore wind is gaining momentum as a significant new source of renewable energy in markets across the northeast, and these reports demonstrate that this regional resource will create thousands of new American energy jobs in the process.” 

Image: Deepwater Wind